Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-09-23
THE BRITISH ARISTOCRACY.

The other day had an opportunity of
seeing, within circumscribed space and
at short range, representative crowd
made up of the families of the highest
rank in Great Britain. This was on board
the Euphrates, during the recent naval
review at Portsmouth to the House of
Lords and the families of the peers.
Through the favor of an official friend |
had tickets for this ship.
was surprised to find how few really
fine-looking, distinguished people there
were to be found in this most representa-
tive group.
had no means of Judging their mental
accomplishments, and so am obliged to
contine my criticisms of them to their
physical appearance. The lord chancel- .
lor, who was one of the highest dignta-
ries on board, is notwithstanding old X
man, with strong, positive character in
his ugly, irregular-featured face. He is
round-shouldered and has very bad fig
ure, and, with a heavy, slouching walk,
is anything but graceful. The lord cham
berlain, the Earl of Latham, is tall with
a very SLIM spare figure. His head is
very small. Not even the extreme length
of his great beard could take away the |
insignificance of his appearance occa-
stoned by the smallness of his head. He
wore rough black suit. His coat was
short sack. His hat was a square-topped
Iarhr Niennnpt hn ;S tIa
most confidential friend was a perfect
picture of the amiable rural Methodist
parson. He wore gold-bowed spectacles
and walked about with his hands in the
pockets of his loose-fitting brown tweed
suit. He wore an old white straw hat,
knocked out of shape by many seasons
wear, crowded well down upon the back
of his venerable head. He was accom-
panied by his two daughters, who were
well dressed but very plain looking. The
best looking man on board was the Mar
quis of Butte. tie was stout, with square
shoulders and figure indicative of strength
and vigor. He was great favorite with
the ladies and much sought after. The
majority of the men appeared to be worn
out There was lack of vitality in all
their movements. They had the weary,
worn and downcast faces of men who
have spent years in high living, late din
ing, wakeful nights, studying the bacca-
ret table or some other form of noble
amusement.
There were a great many old women
in the party, and they far exceeded in
ugliness the men. There are more ugly
old women in England probably than in
any other country on the globe. Indeed,
it is rare to see good-looking old woman
in England, and the higher their rank the
of the party were very plain. There
were not over three or four on board who
could be passed as good looking in New
York. The belle of the ship was the
daughter of a Scotch laird. She was
tall and Straight. regular-featured bru-
nette, but her complexion was too highly
colored and she lacked the easy air and
graceful manner which are common with
women of southern ATTITUDES.
| do not think heard from the begin
ming to the close of the dav a laugh.
They sat on the decks silent and observ-
ant and only showed signs of animation
when the royal yachts were near. There
was as much excitement among these
people to see the queen as there was
shown in the streets of London when
she paraded on the jubilee day. There
was the same curiosity. the same dispute
about her personal appearance. am
told that the queen is as much an object
of curiosity with the higher official fam
lilies as she can possibly be with the peo-
pie. With the exception of the lord
chancellor and the Marquis of Butte there
was not single man in this entire col
lection of peers who would attract atten-
ton among strangers, yet it would have
been difficult to find anywhere more
civil. polite, well-mannered collection of
people.